Compositional turnover in host and parasite communities does not change network structure

摘要: Decreasing similarity between ecological communities with increasing geographic distance (i.e. distance‐decay) is a common biogeographical observation in free‐living communities, and slightly less for parasite communities. Ecological networks of interacting species may adhere to similar pattern decreasing interaction distance, especially if interactions are maintained across space. We extend this further, examining host–parasite – independent host identities become more structurally dissimilar distance. Utilizing global database helminth occurrence records, we find evidence distance‐decay relationships at both regional scales, but fail detect network structural similarity. Host community were strongly related, decayed rapidly typically resulting complete dissimilarity after approximately 2500 km. Our failure decay suggests the possibility that different filling same functional roles networks, or variation be better explained by other variables aspects ecology.